


I've got your back, dude

by QueenC



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: ChalexWeek2020, Gen, Go Tigers, M/M, Mentions of Racism, Mentions of homophobia, football team, jocks being supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25550467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenC/pseuds/QueenC
Summary: Being part of a sports team in high school is like having a second family. (Or, three times Charlie's teammates were supportive of his sexuality.)Chalex Week 2020, day 1:football team/sports
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Comments: 20
Kudos: 94
Collections: Chalex Week 2020





	I've got your back, dude

**Author's Note:**

> CHALEX WEEK IS FINALLY HERE. I've been living and breathing for this moment over the past few days, no jokes here. And I'll say this, writing the football team was so much more fun than I was anticipating.
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this one! I've never tried my hand with these characters before, I'm curious on your thoughts.

## Diego

Diego would be the first to admit he was caught off guard when that junior kid St. George came out to the team. 

The guy's gotta have balls, Diego would give him that. Not because it was a shame or wrong at any level not to be straight, but because — well. Football culture. No matter how good of a player you were, some things can get in the way the minute you're out of the field. Diego was no stranger to that. It wasn't rare when they played at other schools that some guys would choose to pick on his origins as a means to throw him off before the game. It sucked but it was what it was. 

So when Charlie decided to come out to them, despite his surprise, Diego had been the first to step up and show support. To a certain level, he understood his conflict. It wasn't the same thing, but he knew too well what it was like to be singled out over something you can't change about yourself.

And Diego figured it would be even worse for Charlie. Racism was a bitch but he had his teammates having his back. Charlie wasn't being so lucky. Some of their mates were wary of sharing a locker room with him now. Also, Monty's presence still loomed over their heads as a blatant reminder of what his beliefs used to be. And Diego loved Monty, he did, but the guy needed some serious improvement on a lot of his views about the world. It ached at Diego's heart that he'd never have the chance to grow out of them now. 

He wasn't very close to Charlie but damn it if he wasn't a hell of a good quarterback. And that should be all that mattered to everyone. He made a point of specifically telling his teammates this when news arrived that Charlie would be their new captain for the season, alongside Foley. He knew he had their respect — truly, had things gone their way without any interference from the coaches, Monty was to be captain instead of Dempsey, and Diego would have naturally taken Monty's place after he died. Charlie could be the official new captain alright, but Diego knew he was the moral leader for the team. This didn't make him half as bitter as he thought it would. He was intent on finding out who framed Monty, and juggling this with school, practice, _and_ being team captain was not something he thought he could actually pull off. He was fine with Charlie being made captain.

What he was not fine with where the sideways looks being thrown all over the locker room as soon as Charlie and Justin turned their backs to talk to the coaches in their office. 

“Now you guys listen to me,” he said, standing up so he could have all of their attentions, but keeping his voice low not to attract neither Charlie nor Coach Kerba's eyes. “I see some of you giving St. George the stink eye ever since before the break, and we all know what that shit is about,” he glared specifically to some of his teammates, and honestly drew some pleasure at seeing them shift uncomfortably under his gaze. “This ends now. He's our captain for the next season, and he's a damn fine quarterback. That's all you should care about. His personal business has no place inside this team,” he swept his gaze around the locker room, putting all his intimidating stance to use. “Are we clear on this?”

His buddies grumbled their agreements, and Diego was glad to see it was the majority of them until he heard. “Dude, but it's just creepy. I like Charlie alright but I don't feel comfortable sharing a locker room with a guy checking me out.”

“You'd be lucky if anyone showed any interest on your pimply ass, Beecher. Be realistic,” snapped Diego, earning some hoots and whistles from the other guys. “We had no problems with St. George before we knew he's bi. Why the fuck would you think he's going to be all over you now that he's out?”

Beecher didn't argue further, mumbling something unintelligible that sounded like an apology. The other team guys seemed to ponder Diego's words, and he was happy to see that most of them agreed with what he had said. 

After the coaches and their new captains returned, the team lined up to go to the field. They had just reached the bleachers when Luke approached him. “Dude. I thought you were having a problem with St. George over how he's handling this Monty shit.”

“I'm having all the problems with him over this,” agreed Diego, “but I'll be damned if I see anyone giving him shit over not being straight. I can both respect him and call him out on the things I don't agree, without being a fucking homophobe.”

As he walked away to the field, Diego was proud to see Luke had an impressed expression on his face.

* * *

## Luke

Luke was usually seen by his peers as this good-humored, boisterous giant you could trust to have your back in and off the field. He knew for a fact his teammates admired him for his loyalty and his dedication. 

He also knew he wasn't counted as one of the brightest of the team. Which, fine, he could understand why. On more than one occasion, he needed extra help to keep his grades up so he could play ball. He was not shy to admit it.

That does not equal to say he was dumb. No, sir, if anything you can't count Luke Holliday as dumb. He saw things. He observed. Most of the time, he saw more into his teammates than they gave him credit for. But he kept to himself. He wasn't _nosy_. He just wasn't oblivious. 

That's why when he saw Standall hanging around a lot during their practices all of a sudden, he knew something was up. Like, come on. Alex didn't have one single ounce of interest for sports in his body. In fact, he mostly sat through practice reading a book or scrolling through his phone, earbuds on so he could lose himself into his music and forget about football. It didn't make any sense for him to be there. 

And St. George, also. Who all of a sudden was giving all he had in every single practice as if it was the most important game of his life. One could say he was just showing off to impress the coaches and justify their decision of making him captain. In fact, that's what most of the guys seemed to think. Not Luke, though. Yes, Charlie was definitely giving his best to impress someone. Only it wasn't the coaches. 

And they said that he was dumb. What a joke. 

Another week came and there was Standall again in the bleachers, looking impossibly bored but present nonetheless. Luke was curious. And he was nothing but driven, as any of his teammates could attest for.

“So,” he caught up to Charlie as he was heading to the locker rooms after practice. “I see Standall's here again,” Luke stated rather bluntly. His strong suit was obstination. Subtlety had nothing to do with it.

“Uh-- yeah. Yes, he is,” fumbled Charlie, eyes traveling to where Alex sat. “So what?”

“He's been around a lot,” observed Luke, watching Charlie's reactions. For his part, Charlie's cheeks were rather pink, but Luke assumed it could be chalked up to physical exertion. He would let it slide.

“Well. Yes, I suppose,” he nodded, fixing Luke with a wary expression. “We've bonded again after the camping trip. I'm driving him home after school every day, so when I have practice, he just... Waits till I'm done.”

“Hmmm,” nodded Luke. “Are you two hooking up?”

“What?” Charlie hissed, and now Luke could definitely see the difference when Charlie flushed from embarrassment. “No — what are you saying, where did you even get that idea from?”

“I don't know, dude, he just hangs around a lot for someone who doesn't give a shit about football,” Luke shrugged. “Also, you. You really improved your game ever since he started showing up.”

“Don't be absurd,” chided Charlie, looking around wildly to check Alex's whereabouts. _If he listens to this._ “I'm not-- we just-- _no_ , ok, the answer's no. We're not hooking up.”

“Right,” conceded Luke, “but you want to, don't you?”

“Jesus _Christ_ ,” Charlie grabbed him by the arm and started pushing him to the lockers. It was not an easy task. You don't just move Luke Holliday around if he doesn't want to be moved. 

But he was fine with indulging Charlie this time and went along with it. “I'm just saying, man. It's pretty obvious. No, scratch that, actually not a lot of the guys caught up to it yet but that's just cause they can't see shit under their — what's it called — _heteronormativity_.”

That actually gave Charlie pause. “You've been doing research,” he said, impressed. 

“Diego made us read things at the beginning of this season. Didn't stick with much of the guys, though, it seems. But I know my words,” he flashed a big grin to Charlie and fixed him under an expectant stare. “ _So._ Do you wanna?”

Charlie let out a sound that was halfway groan, halfway sigh. So there was no dodging Luke on this one. “Fine. Yes, I want to. I'm trying to find a way to be smooth about it but it's been really hard.”

“Awww, Charlie”, cooed Luke, grin bigger than ever on his face. “You should just go for it, man. He clearly got eyes on you, what you scared of?”

“I'm not so sure he's interested,” frowned Charlie, a little taken aback by Luke's certainty. 

“St. George, I've been playing for this school for four years now. I could count on one hand only how many times I've seen Standall on the bleachers until last month. Now he's just everywhere,” Luke arched his eyebrows meaningfully. 

Charlie shifted nervously, glancing at Alex again. “Do you think-- do you think he's into me too?”

“Fuck, man, you sound like a girl with her first crush,” said Luke amused. “You really like him, don't you?”

“Dude,” chastised Charlie, looking offended. “You started this conversation, now come on, take it seriously.”

Luke couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head good-naturedly. “I think he is, man. I think he's really gone for you,” he threw one arm around Charlie's shoulders and restarted their way to the locker rooms. “So. Whatcha gonna do about that?”

* * *

## Justin

Justin and Alex weren't big fans of each other. This was hardly any news to anyone who knew them both. 

Still, one thing Justin was most definitely not overlooking — especially since going to rehab and having to take a long, hard look at his life, and the choices that had brought him to where he was — was his journey so far. He was past making excuses for poor choices and bad behaviors. Lately, he would rather look at the problem in the eye, no matter how difficult, how painful it was. It was the only way to move past things, he had come to find out. 

And by confronting his life over the last two years, he was forced to acknowledge Alex had been a part of it more than he cared to admit. 

He was there through the tapes, was there when Justin needed a place to crash and no one else came through. He was there when Justin was getting sober after coming back from the streets and was the only one to offer some reassurance instead of only judgment. He had been there for Jessica in moments Justin couldn't, probably more solid and present than he liked to think about. Justin had bouts of guilt regarding the whole Jess situation, and Alex was actually on his list of people to make amends to as he worked through his recovery steps. But he wasn't quite there yet. They did have some ugly moments last semester, and grudges weren't so easy to get rid of as Justin would like. 

Which was not the same to say that he didn't care about Alex. That he wished him harm. So when he heard gossip traveling in the hallways the day following the drill, he knew he had to do something. It didn't sit right with him that after everything that happened to them, Alex still had to put up with hallway gossip on his sexuality. 

Except instead of going to Alex, Justin chose to go to Charlie. It was easier this way, and he thought his co-captain would be more willing to hear him than Alex would. He usually didn't like to meddle into people's business but he felt like this time it would do more harm than good not to say his piece.

“Hey,” he said to his teammate as they dressed up after practice. “How are you doing after this whole drill thing?”

Charlie shrugged, hair ruffled as his head poked through his sweater. “I'm alright, I think. Some people took it quite worse.”

“Like Alex?” Risked Justin, and from the look Charlie gave him, he knew his attempt at subtlety had gone down the drain. So he thought _screw it_ and threw caution to the air. “Look, man, you know how this school's like. People saw you guys kiss at the computer lab yesterday. They're talking.”

“What?” Charlie fixed his gaze on him, and to Justin's amusement, he seemed genuinely shocked. This kid, really. 

“Dude, what the fuck did you expect, you're the fucking quarterback. Everyone knows you,” reminded Justin, not unkindly. To Charlie's perplexed expression, he added, “Is it a problem? I mean, you had already come out to the team.”

“No, it's-- it's fine, I don't mind people talking. Just--” He brushed a hand over his face, distressed, eyes wide and lost as he pinned them on Justin again. “It just now crossed my mind that this might be upsetting Alex. People talking. Assuming he heard about it, I mean.” 

“Yeah, about that,” Justin took the chance Charlie offered him, glancing around before stepping closer to him and lowering his voice. “You may wanna be a little more careful with Alex. I mean, I know you, and I know for a fact how excited you can get over something you're really interested in,” he amended quickly once he saw Charlie's expression falling a little. “But Alex is not as chill as you are. I don't think he ever was. And that's okay, he went through a lot of shit to get here. We gotta respect that. By this I mean you gotta respect his time. I'm assuming you like him, so if I can offer some good advice, don't push him until he's ready. You're only going to scare him away.”

Charlie mulled his words in his head for longer than Justin anticipated but the quarterback's expression was nothing but grateful when he lifted his eyes to Justin's again. “Thank you. I think you're right,” he tilted his head, looking at Justin curiously. “And here I thought you and Alex didn't get along that well.” 

“We don't,” agreed Justin, “but there's some shit you go through with people that makes it impossible not to care for them once it's all gone. Alex deserves to be happy. If anyone can help him get there, I'd put my chances on you.”

Charlie's bright smile was enough to reassure Justin he had made a good call in doing some meddling this time.

**Author's Note:**

> thank y'all so much for reading <3
> 
> For anyone interested in more info about Chalex Week, you can find all you need to know here:  
> https://chalexweek2020.tumblr.com/information  
> https://twitter.com/ChalexWeek


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